Perfect running weather on Monday evening- fortunately well timed for our weekly group run from Elizabeth House Food Hub. Area Activator Simon met with Natasha, Josh, Adam, Charlotte and Charlotte (welcome to our first time group runners!) outside the community centre while discussing our busy weekends (Spartan races, Rat Races, White Star OX running relays, travelling Europe and Scandinavia and completing huge web project challenges were all on the cards).

After a dynamic warm-up, our running team made their way over to Thornhill Square Gardens, a 2 mile run up Highbury Hill (past the original Arsenal Stadium building, and through the current Arsenal Stadium), and up MacKenzie Road to Cally Road. Upon our arrival, Thornhill Square Gardens was already full of activity, as Anna, the volunteer coordinator for the Residents of Thornhill Square had found tasks for the rest of our crew.

Nikki, Emily, Adam and Alison were doing a cracking job of tending to a former patch of rose bushes (we had pulled up a lot of these dead bushes in the past- a big job!). Meanwhile, Paul, Natasha and Adam were set to shoveling bark and chipping into wheelbarrows, and evenly spreading the organic material across the flower beds (to refresh the soil and to protect the growing bulbs). Charlotte and Charlotte snipped away at the grass verges surrounding the flower beds to make the gardens look much tidier. Josh was given a mallet and chisel, and helped out with installing new posts and branch barriers for a "dead hedge" around the western side of the gardens. Caitlin had a smashing task of planting some spooky looking "ginger lillies", which are apparently not ginger and not lillies... but they resemble mandrakes. Very satisfying work!

As we wound down our activities for the evening, we separated off into a collection of groups. Emily lead a walking group setting off to The Owl and Hitchhiker pub in Holloway Road for our monthly social. Simon ran back to Elizabeth House with Adam and Josh, who completed a 4.2 mile loop combining some cycling and running on route through quiet back streets. A smashing way to finish off a top task!

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News

Night of the 10,000m PBs- volunteer call out!

On Saturday 14th May, Parliament Hill Track will be hosting the Highgate Harriers Night of the 10,000m PBs. This is the premier athletics event of the season- a full party with Europe's top running talents competing for Commonwealth Games qualifiers and international opportunities. It's completely free to the public too!

Highgate Harriers are looking for volunteers to help with manning the barriers on trackside, so you would have the best view of the night! Plenty of perks on offer as well!

For more info, have a look here: https://www.goodgym.org/happenings/night-of-the-10-000m-pbs-friday-set-up-volunteers

Crouch End Open Space (CREOS) Sunday Volunteering Afternoon

We will be returning to CREOS on Sunday 15th May for more awesome forest path building assistance with The Conservation Volunteers and the Friends of CREOS. A classic Goodgym task with lovely local volunteers, often followed by a picnic and a chat!

Sign up here: https://www.goodgym.org/happenings/crouch-end-open-space-creos-volunteering-day-may-2022